For my group presentation last Monday, I presented on death and care for the elderly in Italy. Not exactly a happy topic, but interesting nonetheless. My professor wanted a good field trip to tie in to this material so we were went to see the Catacombs of St. Callixtus. The Catacombs are located on the Appian Way sort of on the outskirts of Rome. I wasn't sure what to expect, but was really excited.
Catacombs were used as burial sites and places for worships for Christians when Rome's religion was Paganism. The site we visited spans 90 acres, with four underground levels, and with an estimated half million people buried there. Our tour guide was fantastic! She began by explaining the fascinating history of the site and then took us underground to see what is open to the public. The Catacombs are a highly valued archaeological site, most of which is closed to the public. I was able to see frescoes, family tombs known as the cubicles of the Sacraments, and the crypt of St. Cecelia. All of the bodies' remains have been moved to other locations for protection. St. Cecelia's relics are in a basilica right in Trastevere, which is where I live, and I plan on making a trip to that church soon. It was quite unbelievable to travel underground through intricate passageways designed by engineers from so many centuries ago. The larger rooms of graves were used as places for worships so that Christians could safely practice their faith outside the city limits of Rome. I enjoyed this trip because I would have never made it here on my own, but surprisingly, it was one of our most interesting field trips. Unfortunately, there are strict rules about taking pictures so I don't have any photographs to show you. Here is one from the Internet which gives you a good idea of how skillfully this underground burial site was designed:
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